Why A Personalized Map Is A Great Wedding Gift*

Wedding Registries Are Useful

Many engaged couples create a wedding registry of things they desire for their new household. Registries provide a useful tool to share the particular items a couple wants or needs (like that Kitchen Aid mixer in a rainbow of color choices!), and they are great for the busy shopper who wants to ensure her money will be well spent on a bridal shower gift or wedding present. I appreciate the ease with which I can choose and purchase a gift from a registry, particularly when I don’t know the recipients well.

And Personalized Gifts Are Thoughtful

Despite the conveniences of registries, sometimes folks prefer to find a thoughtful gift idea that they know will be meaningful and unique for the special couple. Something that’s a bit “outside the box” of the typical wedding registry… When my husband and I were married, we were blessed with the gift of a beautifully made antique quilt, and a good friend gifted us a lovely piece of pottery personalized with our last name and wedding date. We also received a number of useful household items off our gift registry, like a Wusthof knife set and the aforementioned mixer! We were so appreciative of all the different types of ways our friends and family helped us celebrate our marriage and start our new household.

If you are leaning towards the personalized gift approach, then please read on for my take on an uncommon and meaningful wedding gift idea that will be treasured as a family keepsake.

A Personalized Map Is A Thoughtful Wedding Gift

Everyone has a handful of places in this world that are meaningful to them, and newlyweds are no exception. It may be a shared hometown or home state, a place where the couple first met (aka “where it all began”), the town where they purchase their first home, or the location where they celebrate their wedding. A personalized map painted especially for the couple is a unique and thoughtful wedding gift idea that will be cherished for years to come.

About These Maps

I have a graduate degree in geospatial sciences and love working with maps. My original watercolor map paintings are created with a mixture of science + art. I analyze the topography of a region (such as Block Island) and distill the geography into a semi-abstract art map. Using one of my color schemes, I paint the map region using two watercolor paints that mix and flow in a vibrant, attractive manner.

These unique watercolor maps evoke the major terrain features. Shorelines and areas with larger water bodies are highlighted by the the absence of paint, where the white watercolor paper is visible. I use high quality, professional artists materials in the creation of these works, and no two maps are alike!

Customization Options

There are several options for you to customize your watercolor map painting:
1. Choose from amongst my many different color schemes (blue-green is a popular choice for maps).
2. Choose what type of symbol (typically a heart, star, or dot) to mark special locations on the map, in your choice of paint color.
3. Create a personalized map title, such as the couple’s names, wedding date, and / or other meaningful information.
4. Submit your order via my BlueJayBay Etsy shop, and I will hand paint your one of a kind, personalized map! I take great pride in creating a piece of art that you will be delighted to give to your favorite people!

Order Your Map Today

I have an ever expanding catalog of watercolor art maps from around the world, so take a look at my shop to see if your desired location is already mapped! If I don’t have a design of your favorite place, use this listing to order a new map, custom made for you, with your specific input on what regions to include or exclude. And feel free to get in touch with any questions you might have regarding my map art. These are my favorite paintings to create!

* Of course, these maps also make great gifts for many other occasions, such as celebrating an anniversary or purchase of a new home and commemorating travel to special places!